The Relationship between the Central Government and Local Governments in Indian Higher Education: Focus on the Qualification System in Academia

Abstract

  India has introduced the federal system since independence from the UK, because of the diversity among its various regions. India has also experienced a rapid expansion of its higher education system. The number of students was about 4.9 million in 1990-1991, but this increased to about 23 million in 2013-2014. Previous works revealed relationships between the central government and the local governments in higher education of India as being confrontational. Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has regulated that prospective teachers take a test to earn qualifications to be assistant professor. The UGC administers the test, called the “National Eligibility Test (NET)”. Some state governments also hold similar tests, called “State Eligibility Test (SET)”. NET has been held for more than 25 years, and the total number of the candidates was about 1 million in 2013. This study examines the relationship between the central government and the local governments in higher education of India, by focusing on the qualification system for positions within the academic profession.

  Indian higher education administers a wide variety of qualification tests. National level tests are held by the UGC and the Council of Industry Science Research (CSIR). The UGC holds tests for the humanities and social sciences. CSIR holds a test for science and technology. Some state governments also hold state level eligibility test. This paper focuses on NET by UGC, so NET means UGC-NET.

  The central government has assumed leadership in administering UGC-NET, because the test is based on powers “co-ordination and determination of standards” in the national constitution of India. UGC can define “the qualifications that should ordinarily be required of any person to be appointed to the teaching staff of the University” based on its authoritative powers. Since the central government is able to make the local governments obey rules of the test, it proves that the central government has both initiative and final authority. It is important that items of the test are “soft”, not “hard”. If UGC becomes involved in a part of “hard”, especially at universities, UGC is likely to conflict with local government powers as provided in the constitution. However the UGC has not only administered the NET, but also permitted local governments to do SET using local languages and subjects related to these languages, because of the diversity of languages. UGC accredits both state identified agencies and determines student performance. The candidates are eligible for taking the tests if they have secured at least 55% grade in their Masters Degree. The tests consist of three papers. All the three papers consist of only objective type questions. Paper 1 is general in nature, intended to assess the teaching/research aptitude of the candidate. Paper 2 consists of basic questions from the subject selected by each candidate. Paper 3 consists of advanced questions from the subject as selected by the candidate. The pass rate of the tests in 2013-14 was around 4-5%. In other words, the central government prepares mechanisms not only to accommodate their diversity, but also unify them. Moreover, UGC has permitted SET to have local subjects related to their languages and then added their subjects to NET. For example, the agency of North East State Eligibility Test (NE-SET) has adopted Bodo as a subject of the SET since 2003. Bodo is spoken in Assam, and is a minority language in India. UGC also adopted Bodo as a subject of NET since 2010. The Bodo community hailed the recognition of its language and culture. One reason was that the adaption would boost the preservation and promotion of its people. The other reason was that candidates of Bodo in NET might obtain a Junior Research Fellowship of UGC and therefore boost the research of the Bodo, (View PDF for the rest of the abstract.)